Device permitting a user to simulate crawling motions to improve movement of the truncal muscles and spine

• US 4,799,475 A
• Filed: 03/25/1986
• Issued: 01/24/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Superspine Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Superspine Incorporated
• Inventors: Splane, Robson L. Jr., Iams, John F., Drusch, John A. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Millow, V
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/844,073
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 272/70, 272/71, 272/93, 272/127, 272/134, 272/136, 272/144, 272/146, 272/903, 128/25 R, 434/254, 434/255
• US Class Current: 601/23
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4049 Rotational movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/14 Platforms for reciprocating rotating motion about a vertical axis , e.g. axis through the middle of the platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0219 on hands and knees
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0355 A single apparatus used for either upper or lower limbs, i.e. with a set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limb or limbs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/907 Stretching

Abstract

An apparatus permits a user to simulate crawling motions and provides enhanced movements of the person'"'"'s truncal spinal muscles and joints. The apparatus comprises a flat base for supporting a person in position where there is minimal axial gravity loading of the spine, and hand and knee rests respectively fixed and pivoting relative to the flat base to permit relative motion between axial portions of the spine trunk, especially the upper (thoracic) and lower (pelvic) portions of the person'"'"'s trunk, while the person remains in the gravity unloaded position. The base mounts a fixed rest and a pivoting or swiveling rest, the swiveling rest comprising a pair of pivoted supports which can move in circular lateral paths independent of each other. In the preferred embodiment the user assumes an all fours position and by kneeling or leaning on the swiveling rest engages in a crawling motion alternating movements of each leg or arm, which causes the upper and lower portions of the trunk to move relative to each other. Normal motion is simultaneously in the frontal and traverse planes of the body. Movement in the transverse plane can be enhanced by incorporating a sloped structure for the swiveling rest of the device to follow. Simultaneous movement in the sagittal plane can also be obtained by having the user flex or extend his body during the exercise. The supports for the hands and knees can be mounted on the same base, mounted in a telescoping or adjustable fashion or positioned in separate but adjacent locations. Extra support can be used if a person is unable to support one or another portion of his body on his own. The pivoting supports can be moved either by the person'"'"'s own exertions or his exertions can be separately assisted by air cylinders or other means.

Claims

1. A device for providing movement simulating crawling motions and providing for enhanced movement of a person'"'"'s truncal muscles and spinal joints, which comprises:

a generally horizontal base for supporting said person in an all fours crawling posture in which there is minimal gravity-induced axial loading of said person'"'"'s spine said base having incorporated therein a circular track having a centrally located pivot point;

a stationary rest means, fixed to the support means, for engaging and supporting said person'"'"'s two hands or two knees;

two support arms attached to said base'"'"'s pivot point for pivoting on the circular track in a circular arc about the pivot piont for engaging and supporting the remaining pair of said person'"'"'s hands or knees and for permitting said person to cause simultaneous lateral motion in extension or flexion of one limb independently of an opposed lateral motion in flexion or extension of the companion limb, with associated relative motion between axial portions or said person'"'"'s trunk while said person remains in said crawling posture;

wherein upon such times as the pivoted support arms are supporting a pair of said person'"'"'s knees then said person'"'"'s crawling motion causing pivoting of the support arms in a circular arc will cause said person'"'"'s pelvis to move off the axial line of the thorax, therein causing relative motion in said person'"'"'s frontal plane and also said person'"'"'s rotational plane;

wherein said relative motion between axial portions of said person'"'"'s trunk occurs in at least two of said person'"'"'s bodily planes simultaneously.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the generally horizontal base'"'"'s circular track is an inclined track upon which the pivoted support arms move in a circular arc;

wherein upon such times as the pivoted support arms are supporting a pair of said person'"'"'s knees than said person'"'"'s crawling motion causing pivoting in a circular arc, motion in the frontal plane, and motion in the rotational plane permits said person to arch said person'"'"'s back causing extension in the saggital plane;

wherein said relative motion between axial portions of said person'"'"'s trunk occurs in all three of said person'"'"'s bodily plane simultaneously.

3. A device as in claim 2 wherein said two support arms comprise:

a pair of supports for said person'"'"'s hands or feet, each support being aligned substantially parallel to said base and being pivotally attached thereto so that each said pair of supports can travel in a generally circular path independently of the other support, causing said person'"'"'s respective truncal portion to follow said path and move simultaneously in two dimensions relative to the other truncal portion.

4. A device as in claim 1 wherein said two support arms comprise:

a pair of supports for said person'"'"'s hands or feet, each support being aligned substantially parallel to said base and being pivotally attached thereto so that each said pair of supports can travel in a generally circular path independently of the other support, causing said person'"'"'s respective truncal portion to follow said path and move simultaneously in two dimensions relative to the other truncal portion.

5. A device as in claim 1 wherein said two support arms comprise:

a pair of supports each one at the end of an arm for engaging and supporting said person'"'"'s hands or feet, each support being aligned substantially in a parallel plane to the horizontal plane of said base and each arm being pivotally attached thereto at said pivot point and having wheel means attached thereto aligned to travel on said circular track, with each said arm and its support pivoting in a generally circular motion independently of the other arm and its support, causing said person'"'"'s superior or inferior truncal portion, respectively, to follow said motion; and

wherein said base comprises;

retaining means affixed to a generally horizontal platform to maintain said person'"'"'s knees or hands, respectively, stationary so that the truncal portion supported by the platform moves in two dimensions simultaneously relative to the portion supported on the supports of the two support arms.

6. A device as in claim 1 wherein said base comprises:

an elongated base supporting at one end thereof a stationary rest supporting the person'"'"'s hands or knees and at the other end thereof the circular track having the centrally located pivot point by which the support arms are pivotally attached to said base at said pivot point and adapted to travel on said circular track.

7. A device as in claim 6 wherein each one of said support arms has thereon an individual rest for one of said person'"'"'s hands or knees.

8. A device as in claim 7 wherein each one of said support arms can be raised or lowered.

9. A device as in claim 6 wherein said track is at least partially elevated above the surface of said base.

10. A device as in claim 9 wherein said track rises in elevation over a portion of its length.

11. A device as in claim 10 wherein said track has its lowest elevation at its central portion and rises in elevation toward each of its ends.

12. A device as in claim 6 wherein the base'"'"'s stationary rest is fixed at a variably predetermined position relative to the pivot point of the base'"'"'s track.

13. A device for bending the spine of a user kneeling on hands and knees, the device comprising:

a frame;

a stationary rest, fixed to the frame, for holding a one like pair of a kneeling user'"'"'s hands and knees;

two moving rests, each pivotally mounted to pivot on a circular track on the frame, each for holding a one of the remaining like pair of the kneeling user'"'"'s hands and knees and for permitting this one of the remaining like pair to move in a substantially level substantially circular arc independently of the other one of the remaining like pair;

wherein the movement in the circular arc of one like pair of the kneeling user'"'"'s hands and knees while the other like pair is held stationary induces bending of the user'"'"'s spine.

14. The spine-bending device according to claim 13 wherein the two moving rests comprise:

two receptacles each for receiving a one of the kneeling user'"'"'s remaining like pair of hands and knees;

whereupon such times as each receptacle and its received hand or knee undergoes a substantially symmetrical, equal and opposite, motion to the other receptacle about the pivot mount then the composite motion of this remaining like pair of hands and knees is similar to crawling.

15. The spine-bending device according to claim 13

wherein each of the two moving rests is force biased in its pivoting movement.

16. The spine-bending device according to claim 15

wherein the force biasing of the two moving rests is by springs.

17. The spine-bending device according to claim 15

wherein the force biasing of the two moving rests is by an inclined track upon which the moving rest travels in the circular arc.

18. The spine-bending device according to claim 13 wherein the two moving rests comprise:

two individual rests each contoured and adapted for the receipt of a hand or knee.

19. The spine-bending device according claim 18

wherein each of the individual rests in rotatable relative to the circular arc in which it travels in order to better support retention of the hand or knee.

20. The spine-bending device according to claim 13 wherein the stationary rest comprises:

a bar graspable by the hands.

21. The spine-bending device according to claim 13

wherein the stationary rest is positionally adjusted in separation relative to the two moving rests upon the frame in order that the device may accommodate kneeling users of different torso lengths.

22. A device for flexing the muscles and spinal joints of a user kneeling upon the device on hands and knees, the device comprising:

a generally level base;

a rest, fixed at a one side area of the base, for receiving a one pair of either the two hands or the two knees of a kneeling user and for holding this one pair substantially immobile;

a first receptacle for receiving one of the kneeling user'"'"'s remaining like pair of hands and knees and for holding it while the first receptacle undergoes rotation in an arc of a substantially level circle about a central pivot mounting position at an opposite side area of the base, therein permitting this received one hand or knee to reciprocally swing in a first arculate path proceeding from a first position substantially in the vertical plane of the user'"'"'s torso but displaced in a one direction in the plane from the vertical axis of or joint of a limb to which this one hand or knee is connected with the torso, in an arc to a second position not in the vertical plane, in an arc to a third position again substantially in the vertical plane of the user'"'"'s torso and displaced in an opposite direction from the joint; and

a second receptacle for receiving the other one of the kneeling user'"'"'s remaining like pair of hands and knees and for holding it while the second receptacle independently from the first receptacle undergoes rotating in an arc of said substantially level circle about said central pivot mounting positioned at an opposite side area of the base, therein permitting this other limb to independently reciprocally swing in a second arculate path which is the mirror image reflected about the vertical plane of the first arcualte path;

wherein since the user is kneeling on hands and knees there is minimal gravity-induced axial loading of the person'"'"'s spine;

wherin since the one pair of either the two hands or the two knees is fixed upon the first rest while each of the other pair of either the two hands or the two knees is independently reciprocally swinging in the arc of the circle the muscles and spinal joints of the user are flexed;

wherein upon such times as the one limb and the other limb are moved symmetrically about a vertical axis that is parallel to the vertical axis through each limb'"'"'s joint with the torso and midway therebetween, then the motion undergone by the other pair of either the two hands or the two knees is akin to a crawling motion;

wherein the opposite movement in the circular arc of each of the remaining like pair is similar to a twisting of the pelvis during crawling.